Interviews with diversity managers and internal data obtained by Recode indicate that Black Amazon employees are promoted less frequently and are rated more harshly than non-Black peers.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) presents risks to equality, potentially embedding bias and discrimination. Auditing tools are often promised as a solution. However our new research, which examines tools for auditing AI used in recruitment, finds these tools are often inadequate in ensuring compliance with UK Equality Law, good governance and best practice. We argue in this report that a more comprehensive approach than technical auditing is needed to safeguard equality in the use of AI for hiring, which shapes access to work. Here, we present first steps which could be taken to achieve this. We also publish a prototype AI Equality Impact Assessment which we plan to develop and pilot.

Government considers shelving service again as figures suggest evidence of growing inequality. “The excuse is likely to be that businesses are badly hit right now but actually, it is employees, especially women and minorities, who have been badly hit.”

A growing number of firms are using artificial intelligence to pass or fail jobseekers.